Dairy producer Mengniu and beverage maker Dongpeng reportedly terminate partnerships after comments about an online meme featuring a Chinese leader spark controversy.

Two Chinese companies have reportedly terminated their sponsorship agreements with French football star Kylian Mbappé following comments he made about an online meme apparently depicting former Chinese leader Mao Zedong.

The controversy emerged after Mbappé, 27, appeared on The Bridge, a French talk show hosted by his Real Madrid teammate Aurélien Tchouaméni.

Asked which internet meme made him laugh the most, Mbappé described a video featuring a man he believed was a Chinese dictator. He did not mention Mao Zedong by name but said the meme made him laugh and that he regularly shared it with friends.

Clips circulating on social media have prompted a backlash in China, where Mao is a historically significant political figure.

Mengniu, one of China’s leading dairy manufacturers, announced on the Chinese social media platform Weibo that it was ending its cooperation with the footballer.

The company said it firmly opposed the comments and that the termination of all cooperation with Mbappé would take effect immediately.

Chinese beverage company Dongpeng also issued a statement announcing its position, saying it had a zero-tolerance policy towards behaviour that offended national sentiments.

The developments put Mbappé’s commercial partnerships in the spotlight, highlighting the potential reputational risks international sports stars face when comments attract controversy in major markets.

The original interview footage is reportedly no longer available on The Bridge’s YouTube channel. Clips circulating online have not independently established the identity of the person depicted in the meme.

Mbappé did not explicitly identify Mao Zedong in the reported remarks. The companies’ decisions followed the circulation of the comments on social media.